1789.} OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ?} 



known by the title of The Lump, a term Mill more appropriate, being 

 ftriclly applicable to her frze and conftru&ion. She was very foon 

 employed in tranfporting provifions to Rofe Hill ; and going up with 

 the tide of flood, at the top of high water, fhe paffed very well over 

 the flats at the upper part of the harbour. 



Their old enemies the rats, who worked unfeen, and attacked them 

 where they were mod vulnerable, being again obferved in numbers 

 about the provifion (lore, the commiffary caufed the provifions to be 

 moved out of one (lore into another ; for, alas ! at this period they 

 could be all contained in one. Thefe pernicious vermin were found to 

 be very numerous, and the damage that they had done was much greater 

 than the ftate of the flores would admit. From the ftore, fuch as 

 efcaped the hunger of the different dogs that were turned loofe 

 upon them flew to the gardens of individuals, where they rioted 

 upon the Indian corn which was growing, and did confiderable 

 mifchief. 



Of the few people who died in October, (one foldier, three women, 

 and a child,) one was an unhappy woman who had been fent on 

 board in a ftate of infanity, and who had remained in that condi- 

 tion until the day of her death ; another died in child-bed ; and the 

 foldier was carried off by a diforder which he brought with him into 

 the country. Thefe circumftances tended to eftabliih the good opi- 

 nion which was at firft formed of ihe falubrity of the climate of 

 New South Wales. 



The month of November opened with a ferious, but prudent and 

 neceffary alteration in our provifions. The ration which had hitherto 

 been iffued was, on the firft of the month, reduced to two-thirds of 

 every fpecies; fpirits excepted, which continued as ufual. This mea- 

 fure was calculated to guard againft accidents ; and the necefhty of it 

 was obvious to every one, from the great uncertainty as to the time 

 when a fupply might arrive from England, and from the loffes which 

 had been and ftill were occafioned by rats. Two years' provifions 

 were landed with them in the colony : they had been within two 



months 



